In truth, it wasn't just Carlett that was in trouble. Ma Yang Smith's company was also facing significant challenges. However, unlike Carlett, he held a controlling stake in his company, allowing him to manage the situation more effectively.
On the other hand, the Akita family was the least affected, since their company operated as a closed family business. With no external shareholders, Moses Adams couldn't interfere with them.
Still, even these two American companies alone were giving Moses Adams plenty of headaches. He had recently stationed himself in New York, as even the smallest misstep could prove disastrous. Every day, Hua Lisi received a detailed report of his operations.
Of course, none of this was done under Moses's real name—he operated under the guise of Jiang Hai's Tenglong Company.
Naturally, those within Tenglong were also responsible for keeping a close eye on Jiang Hai's capital flows.
These reports were prepared by Belyak. Though she wasn't an expert in finance, she was aware of the major moves. Wallis Shelley would compile everything into a proper report, show it to Jiang Hai, and then review her own work.
Jiang Hai had to admit—Galina and the others had saved him a tremendous amount of trouble. He'd originally acquired them just to reassure Azarina, and to help safeguard himself, Qi Li, and his assets.
He'd also hoped they might help him find the Dragon Seal. But now, their usefulness had far exceeded his expectations.
Looking back, he regretted not purchasing more of them. Unfortunately, regret was pointless now—they were all gone.
Time slipped by easily. When life was peaceful, days blurred together without notice.
Jiang Hai, spending most of his time at home, found his days so monotonous that he often lost track of the date. Just like that, six days had flown by without him realizing.
That morning, feeling unusually warm, he went to take a shower. When he came out, he discovered the dragon scales on his tail had nearly reached their full length—only about eight remained.
If he stayed in the manor, he would likely enter his evolution state around 4 p.m. That wouldn't do—he had no idea how long he'd be unconscious this time.
Judging by his last three evolutions, this one might take a week or longer.
After a brief hesitation, he finished his breakfast and gathered everyone in the room.
"I'll be gone for a few days. I don't know exactly how long, but I'm leaving things in your hands," Jiang Hai said directly to the group.
Though they had mentally prepared for this, his sudden departure—without knowing where he was going—still worried Qi Jie and the others.
They weren't concerned about him cheating. After all, as people often say, wildflowers may be fragrant, but when your house is filled with flowers, even wild ones lose their charm.
Still, the thought of him disappearing without a trace made them uneasy.
"Boss, do you want me to go with you?" Galina asked after a moment's silence.
Despite her usually stoic demeanor and the emotional distance she kept from Jiang Hai, she felt deeply alone inside. Her only sources of strength were Azarina and Jiang Hai. Now that he was leaving, she wasn't sure how to cope.
"No need, I'll be fine." Jiang Hai smiled gently and declined her offer.
The fewer people who knew about his evolution, the better. Everyone living with him already knew something strange was going on, but since Jiang Hai never brought it up, they never pried. It was an unspoken rule between them.
Only the newcomers—Galina and Wallis—were still curious. But Wallis understood human boundaries. If no one else asked, she wouldn't either.
Galina, tempted to speak again, fell silent after Jiang Hai declined. Seeing everyone nod silently, Jiang Hai gave each of them a kiss on the cheek, packed a few changes of clothes, and drove away.
As he started the engine, he checked his tail—six scales left. Outside his spiritual area, he could only grow about two scales per day, giving him roughly three days before the transformation hit.
That meant he needed to find a safe place to undergo the process.
Last time, he'd stayed at a hotel in New York and nearly got caught—Pra Walton had interrupted him just in time. If Jiang Hai had still been mid-evolution, it would have been a disaster.
Now, hotels were out of the question.
But where else could he go?
Being outdoors was risky—what if his powers failed while he was in the water? He could drown. An isolated location would be ideal, but where?
He'd been mulling it over for days and still had no solution. The more he thought, the more he realized how little time he had left.
"Forget it. I'll head into the forest first. Maybe I'll find a place I can stay for a week."
It was early summer—hot, but not peak hunting season. Wild game was lean, and it was birthing season for many animals. The U.S. government had even banned hunting and firearm use during this period.
Still, camping in the forest might be his safest option.
With that decision, Jiang Hai turned his car toward the Appalachian Mountains.
But halfway there, his car abruptly stopped.
A pickup truck had parked in front of him, and a woman in a blue T-shirt and jeans was pushed out. She carried a heavy suitcase, cursed at the truck, and kicked the door before it sped off.
Without wallowing in self-pity, the woman picked up her suitcase and began walking along the highway.
Jiang Hai didn't usually bother with such situations. But when he noticed the woman's dark hair and slightly yellowish skin, he grew curious.
Maybe it was the good mood from his upcoming evolution—or maybe it was something else—but he decided to roll down the window and ask.
"Hello, is something wrong?" he called out.
"I don't speak English, and I'm out of money. Sorry."
She glanced at him hesitantly, then responded in clear Mandarin—with a Northeastern accent.
Jiang Hai blinked in surprise. "You're Chinese?"
"Huh? You too?" Her eyes lit up, curious.
"Haha, hometown friends! Come on, hop in. Where are you headed? I'll give you a lift."
He waved her over with a smile. Since they were both Chinese and heading the same direction, there was no reason not to help.
"I feel bad..." she hesitated, but the road ahead was long, and hitching another ride could be tough. It was safer to trust a fellow countryman.
She tossed her luggage into the trunk and got into the passenger seat.
Up close, Jiang Hai could finally get a good look at her. At first glance, she hadn't seemed striking, but now...
She was attractive—not the polished kind, but natural. No makeup, slightly rough skin, long black hair tied back with a stray lock on her forehead. Sweat clung to her face, and her hair was a bit oily, but her figure was impressive.
The wind earlier had obscured the details, but now that she was seated with the seatbelt tightening across her chest, Jiang Hai couldn't help but notice her curves. Judging by her appearance, she was around his age.
Jiang Hai, being naturally quiet, didn't know what to say. Luckily, the woman had relaxed.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
"Mind if I smoke?" she asked casually.
"Sure, go ahead." The breeze from the open windows kept things cool, so Jiang Hai didn't mind.
"Want one?" she offered after lighting one.
"No thanks," he waved it off. He didn't smoke.
"Good man," she smiled. "Don't worry, I won't flick the butt out the window."
She gave a light laugh.
In the U.S., traffic surveillance systems were everywhere—similar to China's Sky Eye, but used far more broadly. Even something like littering from a vehicle could lead to serious fines.
Throwing a cigarette butt from a car could cost someone four or five thousand dollars—even $8,000, as one man found out on a bridge in Oregon. The law took it seriously.
Clearly, this woman knew the rules, even if she didn't speak English well.
"So, are you here traveling or working? You sound like you're from Northeast China," Jiang Hai asked.
The woman gave a bitter smile and shook her head.
"Travel? I wish. No, I married into this country. My husband turned out to be a real bastard—smokes, drinks, and beats people. I came here hoping for a green card, but now I'm stuck. Thankfully, I still have my little girl."
She reached into her shirt and pulled out a heart-shaped locket. Opening it, she showed a photo of herself with a beautiful, mixed-race child—probably three or four years old.
Both mother and daughter smiled brightly in the picture. Jiang Hai couldn't help but smile too—it was a touching photo.
"She's my reason for everything. Her smile keeps me going."
She gently rubbed the pendant and finally said, "I'm from Bingcheng, capital of Long Province."
(To be continued.)